When Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar landed in India for talks this July, everyone expected India-Pakistan peace talks to be the talking point, but instead Khar’s glamour became buzz of the subcontinent. From media to Bollywood everyone was fascinated by her beauty and style.
The first Pakistan female Foreign Minister visited India to secure a ‘new era’ of co-operation in the war on terrorism, but it was her glamour quotient that hogged everyone’s attention. Her black Hermès Birkin bag worth at least USD 9,000, Roberto Cavalli sunglasses and Jimmy Choo heels certainly grabbed many eyeballs.
Indian media went gaga over this 34-year old and a mother of two. “Pakistan puts on its best face,” and “Pakistan bomb lands in India,” were headlines of prominent newspapers.
Though everyone was talking about her beauty and fashion statement, the Pakistan foreign minister along with her Indian counterpart SM Krishna discussed wide range of issues especially terrorism. The two countries had agreed that terrorism threatened peace and security and reiterated their “firm and undiluted commitment” to fight it. The talks were considered as a way ahead for peace between the two hostile neighbours.
While one her flight back Khar said, “This is a new engagement.” “I told Mr Krishna I would like to reach a point where if an issue comes up, I should be able to pick up the phone and say, `this really isn`t working.` And he agreed.” These words certainly reflected her confidence in winning over her elderly Indian counterpart.
The Pakistan minister not only fulfilled her national duty, but also took out time for a visit to Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Rajasthan`s Ajmer town, where she offered a `chaddar` and prayed for peace in the sub-continent. Khar visited the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in New Delhi as well.
Though, everyone seemed to be bowled over with this Pakistani beauty, but Khar drew flak when she met Hurriyat separatist (Kashmiri) leaders before meeting with the Indian delegation.
High on style but repetitive in rhetoric, Hina’s visit was just another Pakistani VIP visit with yet another joint statement, but extraordinary in ways more than one.